Bleeding from eyes, discharge from eyes, unable to walk without falling over

[emmajane07]

Hi All,

My ducks and chickens are now with my parents. They said last night one of my ducks started to walk weird. But, today she simply rolls over, won't straighten out her neck, bleeding from eyes, discharge from nose. I've check all the other ducks and chickens, all seem well. There isn't much up here they can get into--such as fertilizer or other poisons. Any idea what could have caused this? What should I do other than watch the rest of the flock. Thanks in advance.

 

[emmajane07]

Update: it would appear my dad mixed up some fertilizer yesterday, using half a soda can...filled that with water to rinse it out. Just watch my other duck drink out of it. Do the symptoms above sound like fertilizer poisoning?

 

[Debs Flock]

Oh my! Sorry to hear this and unfortunately, I really don't know. I'll tag some others than know a lot more than I do.

@Amiga
@casportpony
@Miss Lydia
@jtn42248

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700526/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal#post_9508213

You need to start your duck on a flush asap choose one and go with it following direction to the T.

 

[jtn42248]

I just want to share some of what I learned growing up on my grandparents farm a long time ago...Please do not see these as directed specifically at you but instead just some old wise farmers tips to survival...

1. Everything on the farm has but one purpose which should never be changed
1a. A feed scoop is ONLY for scooping feed
1b. A water bucket is ONLY for clean water
2. Always put things back where they belong so they don't get their purpose confused

Never, ever, just grab something and use it because it is there. If you do put it someplace out of the way until it can be cleaned.

Never put anything on the ground around animals that you don't want those animals to eat and/or roll/wallow in.

With most animals if it will fit in their mouth it is food...remember that always

Miss Lydia's advice is the best you can get. Flush your animals immediately. Expect to lose some, if not all, of them. Fertilizer makes plants grow and kills everything else. It is used to make bombs after all.

I really wish you the best and hope you will keep us updated on your progress.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

I just want to share some of what I learned growing up on my grandparents farm a long time ago...Please do not see these as directed specifically at you but instead just some old wise farmers tips to survival...

1. Everything on the farm has but one purpose which should never be changed
1a. A feed scoop is ONLY for scooping feed
1b. A water bucket is ONLY for clean water
2. Always put things back where they belong so they don't get their purpose confused

Never, ever, just grab something and use it because it is there. If you do put it someplace out of the way until it can be cleaned.

Never put anything on the ground around animals that you don't want those animals to eat and/or roll/wallow in.

With most animals if it will fit in their mouth it is food...remember that always

Miss Lydia's advice is the best you can get. Flush your animals immediately. Expect to lose some, if not all, of them. Fertilizer makes plants grow and kills everything else. It is used to make bombs after all.

I really wish you the best and hope you will keep us updated on your progress.

Very sage advice, Jon, as always. I love reading your posts.

I do feel awful for Emma. Her dad probably just wasn't thinking, or he was laboring under the assumption so many on the Internet do that ducks won't eat or drink things that aren't good for them. I see that a lot more in bulletin boards than I do here, advice saying, "Plant what you want. The ducks won't eat it if it's not good for them."

Unlike BYC, it's typically of little use to tell them otherwise. If you tell them, "Yes, the ducks will eat it or at least try it because that's what ducks do," there's inevitably at least one person who comes back and says, "I had this toxic plant in my yard and none of my ducks died." Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't, depending how much and what they ingest. I don't take any risks with mine because "maybes' haven't usually worked out well for me in other areas of my life.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@emmajane07 Please update when you get a minute.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

Hi All,

My ducks and chickens are now with my parents. They said last night one of my ducks started to walk weird. But, today she simply rolls over, won't straighten out her neck, bleeding from eyes, discharge from nose. I've check all the other ducks and chickens, all seem well. There isn't much up here they can get into--such as fertilizer or other poisons. Any idea what could have caused this? What should I do other than watch the rest of the flock. Thanks in advance.

Please, Emma, let us know how this turns out. You might be helping the rest of the people on here as well with your experience. Many of us are concerned about your duck.

 

[emmajane07]

Hi everyone. Thank you so much for help and concern. Unfortunately, it was too late for Ally. It happen quickly and she was very very far gone. It was horrible. My Dad feels pretty guilty! Although a smart man--in his head he thought filling up the cup with water and dumping it once wouldn't be a threat as the fertilizer was dumped, washed out, and filled again. As diluted as it gets. He just didn't think. He and my mother are both very aware of how these feathered friends can and will get into anything possible. So lesson learned today for us all.

So far--Swan, my other duck is showing no signs of ingesting it or any of the chickens.

Sad day around here!

 

[jtn42248]

Hi everyone. Thank you so much for help and concern. Unfortunately, it was too late for Ally. It happen quickly and she was very very far gone. It was horrible. My Dad feels pretty guilty! Although a smart man--in his head he thought filling up the cup with water and dumping it once wouldn't be a threat as the fertilizer was dumped, washed out, and filled again. As diluted as it gets. He just didn't think. He and my mother are both very aware of how these feathered friends can and will get into anything possible. So lesson learned today for us all.

So far--Swan, my other duck is showing no signs of ingesting it or any of the chickens.

Sad day around here!

Emma, Thank you for the update. I am sorry about Ally but from your description I did not think there was really much you could have done. Also, glad your other duck is doing o.k. Do you plan to get another duck as a companion? They are flocking birds and tend to do much better with another duck around.